Artificial leg jack



1954 J. H. MORHEISER ARTIFICIAL LEG JACK Filed Nov. 14, 1952 FIG.

INVENTOR:

JOSEPH H MORH E ISER Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTIFICIAL LEG JACK Joseph H. Morheiser, Chicago,

Application November 14, 1952, Serial No. 320,397

4 Claims.

Wearers of artificial legs, particularly where amputation is above the knee, experience considerable difirculty in attaching their artificial legs due to the fact that the member, which receives the stump must of necessity be very accurately fitted. Usually the limb is turned out of a block of wood and is hollowed out so as to conform almost identically with the exterior surface of the stump, so as to have a tight fit when the stump is finally in place. Most wearers of artificial legs have to have assistance of others in order to properly attach them.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved form of jack which will enable the wearer to attach his artificial limb to the stump without requiring help; to provide a mechanical contrivance of improved form upon which the operator can stand erect and by pulling a cord draw the leg into place without disturbing his balance; to provide a device of this kind which comprises a, stocking of such form as to fit the stump and assist in pulling it into place Within the limb and. then be Withdrawn after the limb has come to its resting place in the socket.

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete jack in its relation to the limbs of the user.

Fig. 2, is a detail in perspective, of an appropriate form of textile stocking adapted to the purposes of this invention.

In the form shown in the drawings, the artificial limb comprises the leg member ID, a thigh member ll, hinged together as usual for articulation. The thigh member H is hollowed out to form the stump fitting socket [3 in such manner as to provide stable support for the wearers body upon the limb. The socket portion 14, below the stump fitting socket I3, is somewhat contracted to provide a supporting shoulder for the stump, and for the sake of lightness usually extends down close to or beyond the knee joint, and usually has a diaphragm aperture I5 in its lower part for the relief of air pressure.

It is customary to use a stocking consisting of a tubular length of textile material, having one end drawn over the wearers stump, and the other end compressed and thrust through the diaphragm aperture to help pull the stump into place in the socket of the limb, the stocking being withdrawn by a further pull after the limb stump is in place.

The present invention provides an improved form of stocking and jack mechanism which enables the user to withdraw the stocking after putting his weight upon the artificial leg without requiring the help of other persons. In the form shown, the jack mechanism comprises a textile stocking member is, including an appropriately woven upper portion ll, having sufficient elasticity to enable it to be drawn over and to snugly fit the sides of the stump, and a contracted lower portion, which may be formed for easy threading through the opening 55 by wrapping twine around the textile material, in such manner as to provide a loop or eye It at its distal end. A metal link 20 is attached at the eye 19.

The jack mechanism comprises a foot rest member 2|, which may be a fiat board. An eye bolt 22 is attached at the middle portion of this board as shown in Fig, 1, the board being of suificient length to serve as a foot rest for both of the wearers feet, with the feet at respectively opposite sides of the screw eye 22. Connected to the screw eye by a yoke 23, is a pulley wheel 25 for guiding a pull cord 25. One end of this cord is attached by a snap hook 26 to the ring 29, and the other end of the cord 25 has a suitable hand hold 21, adapted to be grasped by the users hand.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: The stocking is first inserted into th socket it to a sufiicient extent to allow the link 25 to be passed outward through the opening i5 and connected to the cord 25. Then th top portion of the stocking is drawn up over the leg stump, and the stump is inserted into the socket l3, being assisted in this movement by a pull on the cord 25. During this operation the user stands erect with his feet at opposite sides of the pulley 24!. After the stocking has served its purpose of faciiitating the entrance of the stump into the limb socket 13, the stocking is completely withdrawn from the stump and artificial leg by a further pull upon the cord 25. This operation can be performed by the wearer of the limb without disturbing his balanced support on his feet, and thus eliminates all necessity of having the assistance of another person. The snap hook permits the stocking to be readily removed from the remainder of the jack for laundering when required, and for facilitating its insertion into the artificial limb.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted with out departing from the spirit of th invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An artificial leg jack, comprising a foot rest,

3 a pulley attached thereto, a pull cord passing over said pulley having a hand grip at one end and a stump stocking at the other end.

2. An artificial leg jack comprising an elastic textile stocking adapted to fit the stump of an amputated limb and being tapered into a cord formation beyond such stump, a foot rest for the wearer to stand upon, a pulley secured to said foot rest, and a pull cord secured in extension of said cord formation and passing over said pulley.

3. An artificial leg jack, comprising a foot rest plate, a pulley attached thereto, a textile stocking adapted at its upper end to fit the stump and being contracted at its distal end to enable it to be drawn through a hole in the wall of a hollow artificial limb, and a pull cord passing over said pulley and connected to said distal end of said stocking.

4. An artificial leg jack, comprising a textile stocking shaped to fit over the tump of an amputated limb, being extended in contracted cross section beyond such stump and terminating in an eye at its distal end, a foot rest shaped for both feet of the wearer to stand upon, a pulley attached to said foot rest in a position between the wearers feet and a pull cord passing over said pulley and connected to said eye.

JOSEPH H. MORHEISER.

N references cited. 

